Ceramic heaters

ABSTRACT

An object of the present invention is to provide a heater having a ceramic substrate with a through hole formed therein so that the uniformity of temperature on the heating face of the substrate can be improved and the use life of the ceramic substrate can be improved upon thermal cycles. A ceramic heater comprises a substrate made of a ceramic material and having a heating face where three or more zones  3 C,  3 F are allocated, heating resistances corresponding to the zones, respectively, and terminals  5 C electrically connected to the heating resistances, respectively. Three or more holes  4  are formed in the substrate. Distances of the terminals  5 C and the wall surfaces facing the holes  4  are 8 mm or more, respectively. The heating resistance  15  intersects a straight line  16  connecting the center of the terminal and the center  4   a  of the hole in a plan view.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application P2003-401616 filed on Dec. 1, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a ceramic heater suitable for heating semiconductors or the like.

2. Related Art Statement

In a system for producing semiconductors, a ceramic heater is applied for heating a wafer so as to deposit a semiconductor thin film on the wafer from gaseous raw materials such as silane gas by means of thermal CVD or the like. In such ceramic heater, it is required to make the temperature of the heating face and the semiconductor wafer mounted thereon uniform at a high precision.

It has been known several techniques for reducing temperature distribution on the heating (mounting) face of the ceramic heater. For example, so-called two-zone heater is known as such technique. Such two-zone heater has a ceramic substrate and inner and outer resistance heat generators made of a metal having a high melting point embedded in the substrate. Separate power supply terminals are connected to the respective heat generators so that electric power may be applied independently on the respective generators. Heat generated from the inner and outer heat generators can be thus independently controlled.

Japanese patent publication 2001-52,843A discloses a heater having a ceramic substrate having nine zone heating resistances embedded therein, and a through hole is formed in the substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When a ceramic heater is used as a susceptor for mounting a semiconductor, various kinds of holes may be provided in the substrate of the heater. Such holes include holes for inserting lift pins for lifting a semiconductor, a gas supply hole for supplying back side gas and a hole for inserting a thermocouple. Such holes, especially through holes, formed in the ceramic substrate result in structural defects.

According to the ceramic heater disclosed in Japanese patent publication 2001-52,843A, distances between terminals and through holes in the second and third zones viewed from the center are very small. Such design of terminals and through holes results in a cold spot in a region surrounding the terminal and through holes to deteriorate the uniformity of temperature. Further, such cold spot results in a large temperature difference between the region surrounding the terminal and hole and the other region. The ceramic substrate may become susceptible to fracture, due to the temperature difference, to shorten the use life when the heater is repeatedly used.

An object of the present invention is to provide a heater having a ceramic substrate with a through hole formed therein so that the uniformity of temperature on the heating face of the substrate can be improved and the use life of the ceramic substrate can be improved upon thermal cycles.

The present invention provides a ceramic heater comprising a substrate made of a ceramic material and having a heating face where three or more zones are allocated, heating resistances corresponding to the zones, respectively, and terminals electrically connected to the heating resistances. Three or more through holes are formed in the substrate so that distances of the terminals and the wall surfaces facing the holes are 8 mm or more, respectively, and the heating resistance intersects a straight line connecting the center of the terminal and the center of the hole in a plan view.

According to the present invention, the distance between the terminal and the wall surface facing the through hole is designed to be 8 mm or more. It is further designed that the heating resistance intersects a straight line connecting the center of the terminal and the center of the through hole in a plan view. It is thus possible to prevent cold and hot spots on the heating face to improve the uniformity of temperature and to improve the use life of the ceramic substrate upon thermal cycles.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated upon reading the following description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, with the understanding that some modifications, variations and changes of the same could be made by the skilled person in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing planar pattern of zones 3A to 3F, through holes 4 and terminal 5A to 5F in a heater 1A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing planar pattern of zones 3A to 3F, through holes 4, terminal 5A to 5F and a hole 8 for a device for measuring temperature, in a heater 1B according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view schematically showing relationship of positions of heating resistances, terminals and a supporting member 11 in a heater 1A (1B).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing relationship of planar positions of through holes 4, terminals 5C and heating resistances 15 according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing relationship of planar positions of through holes 4 and terminals 5C according to a comparative example.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described further in detail, referring to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing pattern of zones, through holes and terminals in a ceramic heater 1A according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing pattern of zones, through holes, terminals and holes for inserting thermocouple in a ceramic heater 1B according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view schematically showing planar pattern of heating resistances and terminals in the heater shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

According to examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, a substrate 2 is substantially disk shaped. A plurality of zones for embedding heating resistances, for example six zones 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E and 3F for embedding heating resistances, are allocated in the heating face of the substrate 2. According to the present examples, the zone 3A is located in the central region of the substrate 2 and is round shaped. The zone 3B is ring shaped. The zones 3C, 3D, 3E and 3F are provided outside of the zone 3B and together form a ring surrounding the zone 3B. The zones 3C, 3D, 3E and 3F are positioned centrosymmetrical with respect to the center “O” of the zone 3A.

Heating resistances are embedded in the zones, respectively, in which the calorific energies can be independently controlled. The heating resistances in the zones 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E and 3F are connected to terminals 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E and 5F, respectively. Each of the terminals 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E and 5F is connected to power supply member 10 provided outside of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 3. The power supply member 10 is connected to an outer power source through an electrical cable or rod not shown. A tubular supporting member 11 is fixed onto the back face 2 b of the substrate 2. The terminals, power supply member 10, electrical cable and rod face an inner space 12 inside of the supporting member 11. The method of joining the substrate 2 and supporting member 11 is not particularly limited. The joining may be carried out by soldering, fixing with bolts, or solid phase welding as described in Japanese patent publication P8-73280A. Further, the heater and supporting member may be joined and sealed using a sealing member such as an o-ring or metal packing. The supporting member 11 is equipped in a chamber 13. A numeral 4 represents a through hole for inserting a lift pin or a hole for supplying back side gas.

According to the present invention, the distance “n” between the terminal and through hole is made 8 mm or more, and the heating resistance is provided between the center of the terminal and that of the through hole in a plan view. For example as shown in FIG. 4, the distance “n” between the outer surface 18 of the terminal 5C and the inner wall surface 17 facing the through hole 4 is made 8 mm or more in a plan view showing the heating face. It is further designed that the heating resistance 15 intersects a straight line 16 connecting the center 5 a of the terminal 5C and the center 4 a of the through hole 4 in a plan view showing the heating face. In other words, the heating resistance 15 intersects a straight line 16 when the heating resistance 15 and straight line 16 are projected on the (plane of) heating face. The advantages will be described below.

According to the present invention, the number of the heating resistances to be controlled is increased to three or more for further improving temperature uniformity, so that heat generated from each zone is controlled independently to each other. Finer control of temperature distribution on the heating face can thus be realized. It has been a risk of fracture of the ceramic substrate due to thermal stress in the substrate in response to temperature distribution during a temperature ascending step. It has been speculated that such thermal stress and the in-plane temperature distribution can be reduced to prevent the fracture, by controlling power supply to the zones independently. It has been speculated that the fracture of the heater can be thus reduced.

When the number of the zones is increased, however, the number of the terminals is also increased corresponding to the number of the heating resistances in the zones. Referring now to FIG. 4, heat is not generated from the terminal 5C and through hole 4, so that the area available for heat generation is smaller to result in cold spot. If the distance “n” between the terminal and through hole is too small, however, it is impossible to provide a heating resistance required for heat generation between the terminal and through hole. It is finally found that the distance “n” should be 8 mm or more for assuring insulating distance. If “n” is smaller than 8 mm, leak current is observed in the ceramic material to generate a hot spot, although the above described cold spot can be prevented. If cold or hot spot is generated on the heating face, the temperature uniformity is deteriorated, as well as the fracture of the heater might be induced. The formation of the hot or cold spot should be thus prevented.

Hot spot can be prevented by increasing “n” to 8 mm or more. At the same time, the heating resistance 15 is passed between the terminal and through hole, according to the invention, so that cold spots can be prevented. It is found thereby possible to improve temperature uniformity and to prevent the fracture of the substrate upon thermal cycles. if such heating resistance in not provided, there would have been no heat source in a region including the terminal 5C and through hole 4. so that cold spots would easily occur.

If the distance “n” between the terminal and through hole is too large, the proper design of the heater may become difficult. “n” may preferably be 290 mm or smaller on the viewpoint.

Further, only one hole for a device for measuring temperature is usually provided for each zone of the ceramic substrate where each heating resistance is embedded in each zone (the hole is not shown in FIG. 1). According to this design, however, the temperature measuring devices such as thermocouples fixed in the holes in the different zones affect each other, depending on the positions of the holes for temperature measuring devices and influence of environment in a chamber where the heater is actually used. It may become difficult to control the power supply to the heating resistance in each zone.

In a preferred embodiment, two or more holes for measurement of temperature is provided in each zone. It is thus possible to select the better hole position more effective for reducing the heat transfer among the zones, considering the environment in the chamber intended for use of the heater and. The device for measuring temperature is fixed in the selected hole so as to prevent the deterioration of performance of the device due to the heat transfer among the zones and to improve the uniformity of temperature on the heating face.

The substrate for the heater may be made of a ceramic material not particularly limited. The material for the substrate may be a known ceramic material including a nitride ceramics such as aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, boron nitride and sialon, and an alumina-silicon carbide composite material. Aluminum nitride or alumina is most preferred for providing excellent anti-corrosion property against a corrosive gas such as a halogen based corrosive gas.

When a tubular supporting member is used, the supporting member may be preferably made of aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, alumina or the like. A metal containing at least aluminum may be further used for the supporting member.

The shape of the substrate is not particularly limited and may preferably be disk shaped. Pocket shaped parts, emboss-shaped parts, or grooves may be formed on the heating face.

The substrate may be produced by means of a method not particularly limited, preferably by hot pressing or hot isostatic pressing.

A material for the heating resistance may preferably be a metal having a high melting point such as tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, platinum, rhenium, hafnium, nickel or the alloys of these metals. In particular, when the ceramic substrate is made of aluminum nitride, the material of the heating resistance may preferably be pure molybdenum or an alloy containing molybdenum. The material of the heating resistance may be a conductive material such as carbon, TiN or TiC, in addition to the high melting point metals described above. The shape of the heating resistance may be coil, ribbon, mesh, plate, film shape or the like.

The shape and material of terminal electrically connected with the heating resistance are not particularly limited, and may be the same as those of the heating resistance.

The application of the heater according to the present invention is not limited, and may preferably be a system for producing semiconductors. Such system means a system usable in a wide variety of semiconductor processing in which metal contamination of a semiconductor is to be avoided. Such system includes a film forming, etching, cleaning and testing systems.

The shape of each power supply means is not particularly limited, and may be a rod shaped body, a wire shaped body or a combination of rod and wire shaped bodies. A material for each power supply means is not particularly limited. The power supply means is separated from atmosphere in a chamber by a tubular supporting member and thus is not directly exposed to a highly corrosive substance. The material of the power supply means may thus preferably be a metal and most preferably be nickel.

Elements for high frequency electrode and electrostatic chuck may be further embedded in the substrate.

The terminals may be electrically connected with the corresponding heating resistances before provided in the substrate. Alternatively, the heating terminals may be provided in the substrate before the resistances are electrically connected to the terminals. The terminal and heating resistance may be electrically connected with each other by means of a screw, caulking, fitting, soldering, welding, eutectic welding or the like.

The material for a member for supplying power from the outside of the ceramic substrate may preferably be a metal, and more preferably be nickel. The terminal and member for supplying power may be electrically connected with each other by means of a screw, caulking, fitting, soldering, welding, eutectic welding or the like.

The layout or planar pattern of the heating resistance in each zone is not particularly limited. For example, a plurality of ring-shaped zones may be positioned centrosymmetrically with respect to the center of the heating face. Further, each ring shaped zone may be divided into a plurality of arc shaped zones such as the zones 3C, 3D, 3E and 3F shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The angle of each arc shaped zone is not particularly limited.

EXAMPLES Example 1

The heater 1A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 was produced. The substrate 2 was made of an aluminum nitride sintered body, had a diameter φ of 340 mm and a thickness of 14 mm. Wound bodies made of molybdenum wires were embedded in the zones in the substrate as heating resistances. A cylindrical terminal made of molybdenum was used as the terminals and mechanically connected to a molybdenum wire by caulking. The thus obtained ceramic substrate was processed to expose the surface of the molybdenum terminal. A cylindrical part 10 made of nickel was soldered to the exposed surface of the terminal as the power supply member.

The supporting member 11 was formed of an aluminum nitride sintered body and solid welded to the back face 2 b of the substrate 2. A nickel rod was inserted into the inner space 12 of the supporting member 11 and electrically connected to each member 10.

Three through holes 4 for lift pins are formed in the ceramic substrate 2 at positions distant from the center of the substrate 2 by 280 mm and centrosymmetrical with respect to the center of the substrate 2. The diameter φ of the hole for lift pin was 4 mm. One hole for thermocouple was provided in each zone. The distance “n” between each terminal and the inner wall surface facing the through hole was made 8 mm or more as shown in FIG. 4. The heating resistance intersects the straight line 16 connecting the center of each terminal and the center of each through hole in a plan view.

Besides, the heating resistance intersecting the straight line connecting one terminal and one through hole may be electrically connected to the one terminal or another terminal different from the one terminal.

Example 2

The heater 1B having a planar pattern shown in FIG. 2 according to the substantially same procedure as the example 1, except that two holes for thermocouple were formed in each zone. An appropriate hole was selected on the viewpoint of preventing the influence of heat transfer among the zones, so that thermocouples were fixed in the selected holes.

Comparative Example 1

A heater was produced according to substantially the same procedure as the example 1, except that the distance “n” between the terminal 5C and through hole 4 was made 7 mm and the heating resistance does not intersect the straight line 16 in a plan view.

Comparative Example 2

A heater was produced according to substantially the same procedure as the example 1, except that the distance “n” between the outer wall surface of the terminal and the inner wall surface facing the through hole 4 was made 7 mm. The heating resistance was passed between the terminal and through hole.

Electric power was supplied to the above heaters and the temperature was measured by thermocouples fixed in the respective holes. The measured values of temperature were used for feedback control of a power source, so that the temperature was adjusted to 700° C. The temperature distribution on the heating face (A T: a difference of temperature of the maximum and minimum temperatures on the heating face) was monitored. Further, heat cycle test was performed between 200° C. and 700° C. to measure the number of heat cycles applied on the heater until fracture was observed in the heater. The results were shown in Table 1. TABLE 1 Temperature Distribution ΔT Number of Cycles until fracture Inventive 3.2° C. Not broken after 100 cycles Example 1 Inventive 2.5° C. Not broken after 100 cycles Example 2 Comparative  12° C. Not broken after 100 cycles Example 1 Comparative  36° C. Broken after 82 cycles Example 2

According to the examples 1 and 2, the temperature difference ΔT was proved to be small and fracture was not observed in the heater until 100 heat cycles. In the example 2, more precise control can be realized so that the temperature difference Δ T can be still further reduced. According to the comparative example 1, although fracture was not observed until 100 heat cycles were applied on the heater, the temperature difference ΔT was elevated to 12° C. The increase of the temperature difference is due to cold spot formed around the terminal and through holes. In the comparative example 2, the temperature distribution was elevated to 36° C. and fracture was observed in the heater at 82 heat cycles. This is because “n” is made smaller and the heating resistance was passed between the terminal and through hole to result in leakage current causing hot spot.

The present invention has been explained referring to the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments which are given by way of examples only, and may be carried out in various modes without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. A ceramic heater comprising a substrate made of a ceramic material and having a heating face where three or more zones are allocated, heating resistances corresponding to said zones, respectively, and terminals electrically connected to said heating resistances, respectively, wherein three or more through holes are formed in said substrate so that distances of said terminals and the wall surfaces facing said through holes are 8 mm or more, respectively, and wherein said heating resistance intersects a straight line connecting the center of said terminal and the center of said through hole in a plan view.
 2. The ceramic heater of claim 1, wherein said heating resistances are embedded in said substrate.
 3. The ceramic heater of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises aluminum nitride.
 4. The ceramic heater of claim 1, wherein said heating resistance comprises a metal comprising at least one of tungsten and molybdenum.
 5. The ceramic heater of claim 1, wherein said substrate has a back face, and said ceramic heater further comprising a tubular supporting member fixed to said back face and said terminal being provided inside of said supporting member.
 6. The ceramic heater of claim 1, wherein two or more holes for fitting a device for measuring temperature are provided in each of said zones. 